TWO WEEKS AND COUNTING

[Guest Libby1971]

Weellll

 

this is it. Eleven years of planning, studying, training, working, nail biting and stressing are almost over. Two weeks today I will be on my way to Heathrow with the rest of my family for the start of our new life.

 

I am serenely calm. I am also functioning as in Oz (early starts - and I hate mornings.). I have got my shippers booked and I have spent the day sorting out the rest of the furniture being collected. Black bags are like confetti around our house and poor Bob is toing and froing from the tip like mad. In the meantime I yet to find a way to fit in all the social visits. It is totally manic and I am loving every minute of it.

 

Thanks to those of you who have been so supportive when my low moods have got the better of me when nerves have set in.

 

I will make sure I have the kettle on for tea (sorry, habit) or should that be tinnies (????). Either way, the second I am unpacked, you're welcome for a bevvie.

 

Libby

[Guest Jane.Mason]

Hi Libby

 

Good luck with the move and look forward to your first posting from Down Under.

 

Jane

[Guest dglamoore]

Hi Libby

 

Next couple of weeks will fly by 8) We are not far behind as 2 weeks today our container goes and we leave Devon for a few days before flying out 2 weeks Sunday :lol:

 

We will have to meet up on the other side!!

 

Lisa :lol:

[Guest jen&ian]

Hi Libby,

 

Just wanted to wish you the very best of luck with everything, keep in touch. A cuppa downunder sounds perfect, see you there.

 

Jen

[Angela]

Hi Libby & family

 

Very best of luck, April is a big month for Adelaide, there are a few fab brits arriving to start their new life down under

 

Good luck will be thinking of you

 

Angela

[Guest Libby1971]

Hi

 

Just heard from emmylou who is on her hols out in Adelaide. She loves it by the way and is already calling it home.

 

There is the meet and greet service arrangeable through SA immigration but there is also Adelaide Greeters which are a tourism run thing. Again it is something that can be booked, and is free. Emmylou said it was great. They showed her around Adelaide for a couple of hours or so and she really liked it. Highly recommended.

 

Thought you might like to hear about it.

 

Libby

[Angela]

Hi Libby

 

Did emmylou request the meet & greet whilst living in the UK? do you know the link / process involved?

 

Certainly sounds useful anyway

 

Angela

[Guest Libby1971]

Hi Angela

 

Yes she did arrange it from the UK. I am not sure how just yet but she is back on Friday and I shall find out from her then. She told me she went on the tourism SA website and booked it through there.

 

Glad you think it will be useful.

 

Libby

[Guest dglamoore]

Hi Libby

 

Did emmylou request the meet & greet whilst living in the UK? do you know the link / process involved?

 

Certainly sounds useful anyway

 

Angela

 

Hi Angela

 

You can book meet and greet at the same time as OAA if you are applying for that or you can request it seperately. We did not get OAA but have got Meet & Greet.

 

http://www.immigration.sa.gov.au/site/services_meetgreet.php

 

Lisa

[Guest The Goodes]

Libby

 

Hi Libby & all your readers, thank you for your wonderfull insite into the journey the wife (& two children Lauren 12 Edmund 15) and I are starting to take.

Please can you, or anybody advise, what is the bond ?

At 43yrs old I will be applying as a qualified motor vehicle mechanic. Apart from the equity in the house we only have a few hundred quid a month and a credit card to pay for things as they might be asked for.

Whats a bond?

We have books etc on the emigration process, but a lot of what I am reading I could interpret in different ways.

Many thanks and best wishes

Eddie & Angie

05/04 applied to a migration agency for there advice (see thread from The Goodes = "what have I done"

[Guest Jane.Mason]

Hi Eddie and Angie

 

The bond is $100,000 dollars and you gain 5 points, towards your point total. This is lodged with the government for 12 months.

 

Hope this helps

 

Jane

[Guest dglamoore]

Hi Eddie and Angie

 

Motor mechanics are on the MODL (skills in demand list) so you should have sufficient points for a visa without having to pay a bond. Your agent would be able to tell you how many points you have, which visa you are applying for and if a bond would need to be paid.

 

We are going on an SIR495 visa and have not paid any bond.

Lisa

[Guest Django]

Libby

Apart from the equity in the house we only have a few hundred quid a month and a credit card to pay for things as they might be asked for.

 

I know the feeling. It could be worth considing (depending how much equity you have) once you have passed your TRA selling up and renting until you leave. This way you will have the money ready when asked for medicals and stuff, Have paid off any debts to credit cards etc and not have the frustration of no one buying your house once you have the visa.

 

Pete

[Guest RandC]

Hi Libby,

wow you sound really organised and calm. Good luck with the last minutes arrangements (you too Lisa) If we get there next year - we will definitely be up for drinkies (tea, wine, beer ... ) It's lovely weather at the moment but I keep thinking, imagine being in the sun in Adelaide by those gorgeous beaches.

 

Hope the journeys go well with the kids - look forward to reading first impressions

 

Cari

[Guest chillyanna]

hi libby, great news to hear you are finally on your way. reading your posts has been like following a soap on T.V!

just one question, where will you stay when you get there and do you have the temp accomodation set up? do you you have a suburb in mind that you like?

[Guest Libby1971]

Hi all

 

Thanks for your comments - chillyanna, sometimes I feel I was born to be a diva!

 

I have OAA set up for when I arrive, just waiting to hear an address. Most of the news has come through on a Friday for us so if I don't hear before then I won't panic. Once I know, I will let you know as I am sure I will be panicking.

 

We have been looking at suburbs like Seaford, Christies Beach, Noarlunga, Willunga, Aldinga, West Beach, Halletts Cove, Morphett Vale etc.

 

I know Tyke likes Morphett Vale alot as he lives there (lol) and there seems to be alot going on in Noarlunga from what I can gather online. I have never been to Adelaide though so not sure. We arrive next Friday and once he have a car, we will be looking around. We need to make sure it is good for the kids as well as close to good schools (Em is 13 and Sophie is 10).

 

Libby